(Extra)ordinary

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I’m drawn to creaky doors and tiled floors. Textured walls and abandoned objects on the street. Things or settings we might overlook at first glance. Whether in a new or familiar place, I try to keep my eyes open — to look for beauty or interestingness where I least expect it.

On Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay, you can walk into a prison cell, or a former inmate library, or an old dining hall — there’s so much to look at, so much to learn. And yet my favorite photo from this infamous facility is of a lone sink:

Sink, New Industries Building, Alcatraz, San Francisco

As I toured this space with other visitors, most eyes were on a colorful dragon kite, which floated across the room as part of an Ai Weiwei art exhibit. But I couldn’t stop looking at this sink: it remains after all this time, and very much the focal point of this old wall. It’s an everyday thing, but also special — I can sense the passage the time, the many stories of those who have passed through this building, and the great history of this island.

I expect wildly different and very personal takes on this theme, (Extra)ordinary, because our own ideas and experiences will shape our interpretations. What’s mundane yet meaningful to you? What’s a beautiful everyday thing? Or, maybe you can capture an ordinary setting or common scene that has somehow transformed — with festive decor or a new coat of paint.

While I chose a corroding metal door, I was taken by your choice of a bee since I’m a beekeeper with plenty of photos of them at work. They are methodical, driven beings and an excellent pick for something that is both ordinary and extra. Nice photos.

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